Parabatai
by ThePoo
Summary: Will Herondale is waiting for what any thirteen years old Shadowhunter desire the most: a new friend, a great warrior, his Parabatai. But what if the new boy isn't what he was wishing for?
1. Chapter 1

"And I'm saying it again, Thomas. I'm sure that he's as strong as a samurai"

"Don't you think you're a bit too optimistic about that? He's not even thirteen yet…"

"_I'_m thirteen, and you know what I'm capable of, don't you?"

"Well, yes but-"

"Can you honestly think Charlotte would have chosen anybody to be my _parabatai_? No way, Thomas, I'm telling you. He's going to be one hell of a fighter, I just know it."

"You're probably right, Master Will" Thomas merely smiled at that, as he took care of the horses in the shed, like he always did in the evening. Now that he was fourteen and better built, thanks to the daily training with Will, he could handle the horses on his own, and it was a relaxing moment of his daily routine. Even if his dearest friend and master Will Herondale had chosen that very peaceful moment, to come up with his frenetic rambling about the new Nephilim coming from China.

That was it, the reason why the blue eyed boy sitting on the bench was so excited, even if he denied it accurately. A week before, Charlotte had announced a new boy was coming from China to study at the Institute. Since then, Will had been exactly like a baby waiting for new toys from Santa. The whole week he had spent thinking about all the things his _parabatai_was surely going go to teach him, about his valuable knowledge of oriental martial arts or ability to fight like an old samurai warrior. And Thomas, being the good friend he was, didn't fret him about it. Even if he was sure that Will was clearly waiting for some kind of superman. Not that Will Herondale would have taken _no_as an answer, anyway.

"He is supposed to arrive tonight" Will jumped down the bench, his black hair a mess after the long ride in the country on his favourite horse, Balios. His blue eyes were glittering with genuine excitement. "Heard Henry talking with Charlotte, they're waiting for his arrival at about... uh, midnight"

"Which is way past your curfew, Master Will" Thomas didn't hide his smirk, but kept on polishing Xantos's saddle without looking at him. "You've got to practise tomorrow morning, I don't think Charlotte will let you stay up to say welcome"

"What Charlotte doesn't know, can't harm her" with a wink, Will grabbed his jacket. "And I know you'll do the same, you're just as curious as I am"

"It's my job, you know"

"Being curious?"

"No-no, I mean waiting for the new guest!"

"And it's my duty as a Shadowhunter to greet him as well"

Thomas was going to reply, but Will was already walking out of the shed. And that was it, he knew how his friend's mind worked. Will wasn't going to let it go until he got what he wanted.

There was something juicy about moments like this – it wasn't a real ambush, but still Will felt like a tiger waiting for his prey. He'd told goodnight to Charlotte and Henry, before running down in the corridor behind the main entrance. Thomas had come a bunch of minutes before midnight. Now both boys were hiding behind an old tool of Henry's, some kind of double-faced table which obviously ended up like a failure, but was large enough to cover them. It was well past midnight, but nobody had rung the Institute bell so far.

"Maybe we should really let this go, you'll just have to wait tomorrow"

"Don't be silly, he's coming, I'm sure"

"You know, I don't really get all this excitement of yours" Thomas shrugged, looking at Will. "You're so sure you'll get some kind of… full trained hunter, but he may be not like this. And we could get caught by Charlotte, who wouldn't enjoy this a tiny bit, just because you couldn't wait a few hours?"

"You're such a Mundane sometimes"

"Yeah, thank you for the bitter tone"

Will didn't answer, just kept staring at the closed door, his face a mask of concentration. Thomas just couldn't get it, but it wasn't really his fault, and calling him a Mundane wasn't an offense. A Shadowhunter at his age was already a man, and the Codex said the younger _parabatai_ started training together, the better team they would become. He just couldn't wait anymore. He was going to get somebody who would cover his back for the rest of his life, a brother in army. Somebody his life would get tied to. And he just couldn't be anymore less than perfect, could he? Charlotte had clearly chosen him for this purpose. He trusted her.

It seemed like ages, but finally the Institute bell rang. Will and Thomas both sprang up on their knees, triumph written all over Will's face. It was Charlotte who went to the door, Henry right behind her, both with their own witchlights clasped in hand. It was raining hard, so the boys didn't get to see the shadows outside the door, expecially when Henry moved over, blocking their view. Will snarled silently at him, and moved until his chin was down the floor. So there were two figures coming in, a smaller one and-

Will and Thomas exhaled silently, and looked at each other. The taller shadow was one of the Silent Brothers, namely Brother Enoch. They knew him as a strange creature, a healing one. Charlotte usually called him whenever one of them was badly hurt. So why was he there now?

"So _that_is going to be your companion?"

Will smacked Thomas's head a little bit too hard, slamming him face-down on the floor and silencing his soundless laugh. Charlotte was saying something to Brother Enoch, but he couldn't catch a word. He was passing her a little box, which Henry took with that look he made whenever he was going to examine something. Brother Enoch raised his right arm, and another figure emerged from his robe.

Both boys stopped fighting under the table, and tried to get a better look. It was a young boy, maybe a bit younger than Will. He seemed a lot thinner, even if wrapped up in a thick black cloak which made him seem like a little penguin. His hair and eyes were absurdely silvery, his face was pale but the cheeks were red, probably a sign of a fever. Brother Enoch stood still as the boy stumbled a bit towards Charlotte, who immediately bent on her knees and offered him her hand with a sweet smile. What she told him, they never heard. Henry came up too, closing up their view again.

_What the… _

Will watched mutely as Charlotte thanked Brother Enoch, and Henry closed the door. Somehow they'd been so absorbed in the scene that didn't even notice Agatha arriving. The old lady took the cloak from the boy with a soft smile, promising him a hot cup of milk in a moment. Henry patted him on the head twice, saying something about a good night of sleep. Charlotte kept him close as they climbed up the stairs, the silver-haired boy staggering a bit.

When the corridor was quiet and dark again, Thomas stood up frowning. Will was still crouched on the floor, and it was just too dark to see his expression. But Thomas knew him enough to get he was more than just disappointed. "Uhm… maybe he was just tired because-"

"Shut up, you idiot" Will snapped. "We must've seen wrong, Henry was in the way"

"Master Will-"

"I'm going to bed before Agatha finds me. And you should, too"

Thomas couldn't even get to say goodnight.

Will couldn't hide his disappointment when he came down to have breakfast with everyone else, and again the new boy wasn't there. Charlotte was chatting with her husband Henry while Agatha was serving coffee, but that was all. Breakfast for just the three of them. As if the chinese boy had never arrived. He'd even missed two days of lessons and practicing!

Henry smiled his sincere smile, gesturing for the boy to sit. "Good morning, Will"

"You tell me" Will sat heavily, looking like he was going to bite them, not his breakfast.

"Is something wrong? You seem angry" Charlotte smiled at Agatha, thanking her. She seemed perfectly at ease with the younger boy's bad mood.

"I'm not" Will murmured, and obviously the way he was poking at his cup made perfectly clear that he was lying. "_His__chinese__majesty_ won't come down, uh?"

"_His__chinese__majesty_'s ill, as I told you yesterday" Charlotte looked at him, unable to hide her amusement. "He's still got a very bad fever. He's going to get better soon, don't worry"

"Oh, look at me, I'm a destroyed man"

Henry chuckled lightly. "I sense sarcasm here"

"And that's because your mind is the sharpest"

"Will, stop it" Charlotte gave him a pointed look. "It's not a big deal, you know. You can still manage on your own, don't you think? When James will be ready, he'll-"

"_When__he__will__be__ready?_ So you've become all sweet and merciful on this one. When I catch a cold, it's lessons anyway"

"Is someboy whining?"

"I'm not!" Will looked offended and angry. "I'm just pointing out that you're not true to your word, and that's a shame, you're a Shadowunter!"

"Might I ask what are you talking about?" Charlotte was absolutely calm, like she was playing chess with an already well-known opponent. Henry, on the contrary, had stopped drinking his coffee and was looking from her to Will, his cup still half-rised.

"You told me I was going to get a _parabatai_out of this new boy" Will spat angrily, like the thirteen years old boy he was. "You should've chosen better, shouldn't you? On the contrary, it seems like we got a sick puppy, or _young__lady_ with an ill health. Is _this_ your best choice for me, Charlotte?"

"First of all, Will, I didn't promise anything at all. I just told you it would be a nice idea to be friends with the new boy, because the best companionships between Shadowhunters are based on loyalty, friendship and trust" Charlotte looked straight at Will. "I never talked about going to some kind of Nephilim market, where I could choose the best specimen and give it to you like some sort of present. It doesn't work like that, and you know it. We welcome everybodyhere at our Institute"

Henry shrugged. "Maybe you're just taking it the wrong way, you've not even met him, have you? You might find him-"

"Didn't you hear, Henry? _Milady_ can't be disturbed"

"He's right" Charlotte nodded to Henry, and then to Will. "You know, maybe I ought to forbid you from going near his room. At least, not before he's completely fine"

"As if I cared anymore" the boy mumbled angrily. "I'm not hungry and I'm going to my practise, because at least one of us in this place needs to learn how to use a sword. Might come useful to defend all these ladies here"

Charlotte kept looking at Will's retreating back untile he was out of the room, then she gave up the serious face and chuckled into her cup. Henry looked at her, a lot less convinced than she seemed.

"Uhm… Charlotte, are you sure it was a good idea to forbid the boys to meet?"

"Absolutely, darling"

"But… we've been complaining for months about Will being too lonely, too difficult for his own sake"

"I do realize that"

"But… you've just-"

"Have you ever tried forbidding Will to do something?" Charlotte lowered her cup of milk, looking at her husband with a little smug smile. "I've just given him a ticket to the carousel, and we can only hope everything goes the way we want"

Henry frowned and nearly dropped his cup, which was put straight again by his wife. "Thanks dear-I think I get your plan. But do you honestly think Will and James can become friends?"

"I truly pray for it, Henry" Charlotte was a lot less smug now, her eyes full of emotions. "Don't you see? Will may be a man as a Nephilim, but as a boy, he's still so young. Why do you think he's making such a fuss over James? He is _desperately_looking for somebody like him. A Shadowhunter, a boy, a lost soul, he just needs to trust another human being. And as far as I know, this is a great improvement in his attitude. And if I am correct, James will be the perfect friend right now"

Henry sighed and nodded. "So let's hope your plan goes well"


	2. Chapter 2

This was simply ridiculous.

Will couldn't even get why he was going straight to _Milady's_room. That stupid chinese boy would be surely sleeping or whining like a baby girl. What was the point in spying on him? Curiosity killed the cat. He sure as hell didn't want him as his companion anymore. Still… that stupid one. He really, really wanted to get a glimpse of such a fuss of a guy.

The room was empty, which was very strange since Charlotte said he was _that_ ill. Will walked in slowly and silently, looking around with sharp eyes. There was just this single tiny bag on a chair and the package he'd seen that night in Henry's hands, but nothing else at all. Before Will could reach the misterious package, the light noise of feet walking in made him turn around stiffly, ready as the young hunter he was.

_...this one?_

Will just stood there looking at the smaller boy, confusion all over his face. The other night he'd seen some kind of fluffy penguin wrapped up in a big black coat, which had made him seem bigger. Right now the boy in front of him was smaller, a whole lot thinner, and his face was deadly pale. Plus, his hair and eyes were really silver. So he wasn't only a tiny, frail and sick boy… he looked like a younger version of Charlotte's grandfather, the one in the picture over the fireplace.

"This must be a joke" he muttered, looking up and down the boy. "Charlotte is clearly having her fun with me"

The smaller boy looked at him with curious big eyes. When he talked, his voice sounded soft and even.

"I'm sorry… I don't think I got it, what's the joke?"

"Well, y-"

Will was going to say _you_, but then again… something in those eyes made him feel guilty enough to shut up.

"…yes?"

"Never mind. You must be James."

The smaller boy nodded, holding out his hand. "James Carstairs, pleasure to meet you"

"Will… Herondale" Will was clearly upset to see how little that hand felt inside his. "No offense, James, but I think there's a mistake, or… something. I mean. You aren't a Shadowhunter, are you?"

James nodded again, smiling slightly. "Marked as one. Still to be fully trained, though"

"But you're so small… and skinny! Are you even strong enough to manage a sword?"

"Not exactly in this precise moment, but yes" James walked softly to his bed. He slid under the covers, sitting against the pillows. "Please, stay if you want to, Will"

"I still don't believe you are a Shadowhunter" Will stood awkwardly, his delusion even more visible now. "And I'm once again without my _parabatai_"

"Where's your _parabatai_?"

Will snorted. "It should've been you"

"You do realize I'm still alive, don't you?"

"Oh, we have an optimist here"

James chuckled, looking down at his chalk-white hands. "I don't know if I'm really going to be your _parabatai_, but rest assured I'll keep on training to become a real Shadowhunter. My health's not such a problem"

Will frowned. "What's your illness, chinese boy?"

"Long story"

"I saw you the other night. Brother Enoch took you here" Will walked to the chair next to the bed, sitting and looking defiant in his enquiry. "Charlotte says the Silent Brothers can't be disturbed unless it's a serious matter. So you must be one"

James looked down at his hands again, like he was trying to avoid his gaze. This was the first time someone asked about his whereabouts, and he just felt like telling the truth, at least a part of it. "I've been… tortured by a demon for a bunch of days. There are always consequences to these kind of things. But I'm telling you, I'm much better and up to be fully trained and that's it"

When James decided to hold Will's gaze, he found the blue eyed boy staring at him with wide eyes and open mouth.

"…what?"

"You've met a demon? A _real_ demon?"

"Believe me, it wasn't-"

"That's… well, I'm one year older than you, and I've never met one. 'Course, if I did, the poor thing wouldn't even have had the time to blink, but hey, you… and a demon. And you survived!" Will seemed to be considering the whole thing now. Given the news, maybe… "…maybe you aren't that bad, after all. I mean, you're here… did you kill the demon?"

James felt so confused. He had spent the past weeks suffering a pain ten times worse than death, never once he'd had the time to cry over his own parents, not when his days and nights were a continous fight against fever and hallucinations. Even the Silent Brothers had to give him up eventually. And there he was, this new boy so full of life, so smug and funny. It was like he was tempting james to feel again, even if it were for the last time.

"Hello, James?" Will waved his hand in front of James's eyes. "I said, did you kill the demon?"

"No. I'm not fully trained, I've told you"

"You'll catch up quickly, James" Will frowned again, then smiled brightly. "_Jem_. That's more like it"

"Jem?"

"Yes. James is way too long, what if I need to call you during a battle? It's not like I can die because your name's too long, and you can't be quick enough. So yes, it's Jem"

James – _Jem_– chuckled a bit. "It's strange"

"Says the boy with silver hair"

"Should we talk about yours?"

"Mine?" Will smiled prudly. "Mine is perfect"

"Oh, we have an optimist here"

Will burst out laughing, feeling a lot more confident than before. Jem was still tiny and too fragile looking, but first of all, he had fought a demon and was still (almost) alive, so he couldn't be _that_ lame. Plus, he was quite funny. There was something in his big good eyes that made him feel calm, at ease. That was a good feeling.

"So" he started, folding his arms behind his head. "I think I'll give you another chance"

Jem scratched his head, frowning. "But you-"

"Yes, yes, I know what I said. I still think you're impossibly skinny. Still, I'm going to do some training with you, so I can make my official decision"

"Sounds good to me" Jem smiled, his eyes still watery because of the fever. And it was his first true smile, after weeks of pain and sorrow.

"Perfect" Will got up from the chair, his smug smile back again. "Listen very carefully, my friend: you've got to be fine the soonest you can, because I won't wait forever. And try to eat anything they give you, you're way too thin. Tonight, after my training, I'll be here with the Codex. You really need to know everything about _parabatai_, if you really want to be mine"

Jem hid his laughter in a cough. Silent Brothers gave him orders like these too, they reminded his body how to survive the pain by eating and sleeping even when he just wanted to die and stop that torture. Will's orders sounded like a scheduled plan not to survive, to _live_. He felt like Will was offering him a ticket for the best adventure ever.

"So are you up to it, Jem?"

"Yes, sir"

This was Will's turn to smile.

To be continued…  
>*thank you so much for the comments! Much love 3*<p> 


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